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Fencing Language in “The Princess Bride”

Here is a breakdown of fencing terminology in the “Princess Bride” Cliffs of Insanity scene between Inigo Montoya and the Dread Pirate Roberts. Be sure to check the comments in the original blog.

If you’re anything like me, you found the movie The Princess Bride (1987) by Rob Reiner, to be a very entertaining film. In all honesty, this was the film that poured gasoline on my desire to wield a sword, and quote the lines (with accent), “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” For others it may have been Errol Flynn or Douglas Fairbanks; but for me, it was the sword fight on “The Cliffs of Insanity” that sparked my early fascination with fencing.

In this particular scene, while dueling (then, a life-or-death affair), while at the same time showing overwhelming sportsmanship, Inigo Montoya and the Man-In-Black (Westley) casually (and most humorously) discuss complex fencing tactics. It was this friendly exchange of historical references that I found completely intriguing. For years, I would quote the lines, but it wasn’t until…